School goes from strength to strength

Nov. 21, 2008

Written by

JACKIE KOREY and MUNNA UPPAL

Some students work out by lifting weights. Some keep active and healthy by hitting the track and running a few miles. Others stay mentally and physically fit by practicing yoga.

And through Ranney School's athletics program, the student body can do much, much more.

Students wanting to unwind in the middle of the day can take advantage of senior Sophie Wilkus' basic yoga class. "Most school gym programs are based around keeping kids physically healthy, but I think health goes deeper than that," says Sophie, 17, of Middletown. "Yoga helps kids destress and stay physically fit in a way they may not have had the opportunity to try before."

Yoga is one of the school's many new athletic offerings this year, but Ranney boasts an array of traditional athletic programs — tennis, soccer, cross country, field hockey, swimming, basketball, indoor track, lacrosse, track and field, baseball, softball and golf. In addition, students who wish to expand their horizons beyond traditional sports can take advantage of squash and fencing in the winter and crew in the spring.

To support the fundamental skills of these programs, the school has recently developed a strength-and-conditioning program, led by Coach Alex Winnicker, 28, of Aberdeen.

"I was given the opportunity to start a program that didn't exist and to elevate the athletic program to the heights of the academic program," Winnicker says. "I was impressed that Ranney was willing to be at the forefront of an innovative weight-training program, because it is usually a college thing."

As a part of this program, Ranney has used the Edge Sports Academy and Health Club in Tinton Falls to maximize athletes' training.

To accommodate the wide array of sports offered at the school, the Ranney community has added a new track, a new turf field and new tennis courts. The school has its own 25-meter indoor pool; basketball courts; soccer, lacrosse and baseball fields, and track on campus.

The weight room has recently been updated, offering new machines for the strength program.

"These new, state-of-the-art facilities are second to none," says Athletic Director Tom Moriau, 50, of Toms River. "Not many other schools can boast having the variety of facilities we do on their campus. Our commitment to improving our athletic resources makes a statement about our commitment to success — not only to other schools' athletes, but to ours as well."

The facilities have been catalysts for the unprecedented success of the Ranney sports teams over the past few years. Since the addition of the new track, field and tennis courts in the fall of 2006, the Upper School has seen several state and conference championships come its way.

Senior Aaron Absatz, a member to the boys' varsity lacrosse and soccer teams, says these athletic successes are no coincidence.

"Having a new field and track gives us the best opportunity to perform at our highest level," says Absatz, 17, of Eatontown. "We don't have to worry about an uneven or muddy field, and we have time to practice the fundamentals and improve every aspect of our game.

"Not only that, it just makes it so much more exciting and fun to play."

Jackie Korey, 15, is a sophomore from Middletown; Munna Uppal, 16, is a junior from Colts Neck.